Rail fastening means



July 145 1953 c. NAUD Y 2,645,427`

RAIL FASTENING MEANS Filed Nov. 3. 195o 2 sheets-sheet 1 iliiiimilllllflmiml Inven ton U!! "inw" July 14, 1953 l c, NAUD 2,645,427

RAIL FASTENING MEANS Filed NOV. 3, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gane/,

41% 7 8f Yank/Valla Attorneys Inventor' Patented .uly 14, 1953 UNITED i i OFFICE RAIL FASTENING MEAN S Clovis Navel, ,Dschwiaat @Para Genade Application November 3, 195i), Serial No. 193,85?l

1 claim. (C1. ,asa-:5U

The `present invention relates to rail fastening v means and more particularly to rail fastening means of provisory character adapted to be used for effecting temporary rep-airs on defective conventional sleepers or for reinforcing the rails in curves, onr bridges andlike locations.

According to present day practice in rail lmaintenance, the defective sleepers are either replaced by new ones, thereby involving `a considerable amount of work, or else they are left in place until the general condition of the line warrants replacement of rail sections: this latter practice vsoon results in unsafe areas along the rail line which may cause accidents.

Accordingly, the general object of the invention is the provision of means to effect temporary repairs to a railway line without removing the conventional defective sleepers, said means being easily and quickly installed and being further# more easily removable when `a permanent repair is effected to the rails.

Another object of the invention is the provision of rail fastening means of the character described which may `be used in a permanent manner to reinforce rail sections submitted to considerable side thrust as in curves, or rails located in dangerousareas such as bridges, mountain sides and the like.

Yet another object ,of the present invention is the provisionof railfastening means in the form of a tie plate provided with railguiding means for automatically positioning said rails at Lthe correct gauge orspacing, said `guiding means Aserving furthermore to clamp said rails in a very secure position.

Another very important object, `according to the present invention, is the provision of a transverse base member of a length substantially greater than the spacing normally separating a pair of rails, said base member adapted to be positioned under said rails so as to project from under their outer sides, and provided with integral upstanding eyes for insertion of Wedge shaped members adapted to engage and bear against the foot of the rails whereby providing fastening means adapted to withstand considerable side thrust exerted `against said rails.

Another important object, according to the present invention, is the provision of a basermember of the character described which is'in the form of a beam adapted to be positioned between the sleepers in order to further reinforce rails laid according to` conventional practice as on bridges, curves and other locations.

Still another important object, according to the present invention, is the provision 0f a @Seinember of' the character described in the ,form of a base plate adapted tobe positioned under a pair of spaced rails Aand Vsecured to the upper face of a `conventional sleeper, c

Still anQhCl ,mDOlmt .Object according t0 the present inventioais the DrOViSQD @f a base plate `of the character described hereabove adaptedtobeseuregl to a sleeper by means of .conventional spikes, `said base plate formed as to `enable quick easy removal of said spikes when using 4a conventionaltool such as a crowbar.

Yet another important object, according to the present iriventiomisthe provision of a base plate in combination" with Wedge members ,adapted i0 engageeyesfformgedon said base plate and to bear against the foot of the rails on both sidesv thereof,

saidwedge ,inembers being further provided with 4suitablerecessesV for easy removal of the saine.

. `The,foregoing yother important objects accordingtoithepresent invention will become more apparent during the following disclosure and by referring tothe drawings in which:

o Figure l is a perspective view of a pair of spaced rails` ;secured to two embodiments of a base meinber according toA thepresent invention;

Figure 2 lis `a ,perspective fractional View of a rail secured tol a `base Aplate accordingto the pres,- ent invention; 'A

Figure-3 is a section taken across the upstanding ayeof .the basefplate according to the invention; l c

v'Figuren is a section along line 4-4 of Figure 3;

`l'ligure is a fracti'o'na1` perspectiveV view of the second embodiment according to the invention, showing therails about tobe positioned in place;

Figure ,6 is a longitudinal section along the base beam of the present'invent'ion showing how the rail is fastened in position;

Figure 7 is a section'fsimilar to that of Figure 6 `showingLhow `the wedge members lare removed;

and y Figure 8 is a ure '7.

LReferring nowmore particularly to the .drawingswinwwhich'like refflarences` indicate like elements throughout, the letter A denotes a pair `of rails spacedaccording `to standard gauge and `section. along lineS-B of Fighaving a ifootor baseiiange denoted by the .letter B.

According to oneembodiment ,of uthe present inventiomihe 'base `iilfariber' consists in a base plate I of preferably rectangular shape and of a length substantially greater than the spacing vbetween the rails A so as to project from under the outer side thereof when laid beneath and transversely of said rails as shown in Figure l.

The base plate l is adapted to be positioned under the rails A and on top of a conventional sleeper of wood or other conventional material and Vindicated by the letter C.

The upper face of the base plate l is provided with a plurality of suitably positioned raised portions 2 through each of which extends a hole for insertion of a standard spike D in such a manner that its head will bear against said raised portion 2 but will project therefrom to extend in spaced relationship with the upper face of the base plate I when in position so as to be easily removed with the help of a crow bar or the like.

According to the present invention, two pairs upper face of the base plate l and aligned longitudinally of said base plate. In each pair of eyes 3, the spacing therebetween is only slightly larger than the width of the foot B of the standard rail A to practically eliminate any sideways displacement of said railwhen inserted between said pair of eyes 3. Thus the latter serve as guiding means for positioning the rails.

Furthermore, the spacing between each pair of eyes at both ends of the base plate l is such that the correct gauge for the rails A will be obtained when the latter are inserted in place. In this manner, when laying tracks with the base plate, according to the invention, it is not necessary to check or measure the spacing between the rails because such spacing is obtained automatically when the rails are inserted between the eyes 3.

Wedge shaped members 4' are adapted to be inserted through the eyes 3 for bearing against the upper side of the foot B of the rails A on both sides of said rails thereby resulting in a very secure fastening for said rails. The wedge members 4 are preferably hammered into position as shown in Figure 6. But they may be easily removed because they are provided adjacent the other bigger end and on the top portion thereof with a recess 5 for insertion of a suitable tool such as shown as E in Figure 7.

The wedge members 4 have preferably a flat lower face 6 as shown in Figure 4 and a some,- what rounded top face 'l corresponding to the shape of the top portion of the eye 3.

Although the combination of the wedge members 4 and of the eyes 3 insure a very eflicient gripping of the rails A, the latter may ber further fastened on the inside by means of standard spikes such as shown at 8 in Figure l. Obviously, suitable holes are made in the base plate l to receive said spikes 8.

The base member,v according to the invention, may take the form, instead of the base plate l, of a beam having a rectangular or other suitable cross-section for use as a temporary or supplementary sleeper adapted to be laid between conventional sleepers C. Such'base member in the form of a rectangular beam is shown at 9 in Figure 1 and is illustrated more particularly in Figures 5 to 8.

rIhe beam 9 is provided with two pairs of U- shaped straps I9 secured in an inverted manner to both sides of the beam 9 as by welding. The bridge portion of these U-shaped straps I0 is spaced from the top face of the beam 9 so as to Y of upstanding eyes 3 are integrally formed at the 4 provide an eye 'substantially similar to the eyes 3 of the previous embodiment for insertion of similar wedge members 4.

Obviously the spacing between the straps I0 is the same as the spacing defined above for the eyes 3 on the base plate l so as to provide guiding means and fastening means at the same time for the rails A.

The beam 9 could be used as supplementary lfastening means for locations subjected to extra heavy stresses such as curves or as a further security in dangerous locations such as bridges and the like.

The beams 9 are easily put in position without having to displace the conventional sleepers C.

Rails equipped with the base plate l, according to the present invention, will present a high degree of safety because even when the conventional sleepers C are in bad condition the base plate l will nevertheless be used to hold the rails rmly in place because of its high leverage action. This is not possible with standard tie plates, the gripping action of which depends solely on the gripping power of the spikes inserted into the wooden sleepers C. Therefore, when the latter become rotten, the spikes loosen up and the rails rapidly become a cause of accidents.

It will be noted that when rails are provided with a base plate l, according to the invention, the conventional sleeper C may be removed and replaced without having to untie said base plate from the rails: it is only necessary to withdraw the spikes 3 and 8.

While preferred embodiments according .to the present invention have been illustrated and described, it is understood that various modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

Fastening means for a pair of spaced rails comprising a base member in the form of a solid beam adapted to be positioned transversely under said rails between sleepers, said beam of a length greater than the spacing of said rails, at least two pairs of upstanding eyes in the form of Ainverted U-shaped straps each having one of its legs secured to the opposite sides of said beam, and each having its bridge portion spaced from the upper face of said beam, the said straps of each pair spaced to receive and position therebetween Ithe foot of said rails, the 4spacing between each pair of said straps corresponding to the spacing of said rails, and wedge members engaging said straps and bearing against the foot of said rails. Y

CLOVIS NAUD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

